Pickles?

[merigayle]

Hit me up with your favorite pickle recipes. 15 pickling cukes coming in my CSA share this week. The full share is getting 33! I think we get more in two weeks.

[RioG]

what can you do with 15 cucumbers? pickling cucumbers are usually quite small aren't tjey?

[merigayle]

I have not seen them yet, I can ask.

[RioG]

you might want to before you get all psyched for pickles  

[witchypoo]

i pickle any and every thing: cauliflower, radishes, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, garlic, zucchini, etc., etc.

clean, trim, and blanch your veggies.
place in a sterilized glass jar.
in a saucepan, combine 1 T kosher salt, 1 c vinegar, 1 c sugar, 1 t mustard seed, 1 t peppercorns, 1 bay leaf (you could add fennel, cumin, and/or dill seeds, too, if you want).  bring to a boil, stir until the sugar dissolves.  pour over the veggies.  seal, let cool, and refrigerate. 

[merigayle]

Will report on the size of the cukes tomorrow when I pick them up at the farm. No one responded to my FB questions about them.

[diablita]

You make that sound so easy I might could try it, witchy.  How do you like to sterilize your glass jars?  Is that part really complicated?

[merigayle]

You make that sound so easy I might could try it, witchy.  How do you like to sterilize your glass jars?  Is that part really complicated?

I put them in the oven at 225 for 10 minutes.

[merigayle]

4-6 inches for the cuke size.

[RioG]

wow, does the oven think work at that temp?  i need to do that.  we used to use the dishwasher but now we dont have one so i boil them.

[merigayle]

wow, does the oven think work at that temp?  i need to do that.  we used to use the dishwasher but now we dont have one so i boil them.

The recipes I saw for jam said to boil or put them in the oven. You put the lids in the last few minutes OR wash with soap and water.

[diablita]

I've never tried pickling because I'm terrified I'm going to poison my family.

You're supposed to do something with the bottle after it's filled, right?  boiling?

[radial]

I've never tried pickling because I'm terrified I'm going to poison my family.

You're supposed to do something with the bottle after it's filled, right?  boiling?

The results of pickling are so acid that nothing that survived the process could every thrive in the end product.  No worries. 

[merigayle]

I've never tried pickling because I'm terrified I'm going to poison my family.

You're supposed to do something with the bottle after it's filled, right?  boiling?

Pickles seem to be fine. DH is concerned about me canning other foods, but i will this summer and my neighbor was a big canner and the husband has said i can borrow whatever i want. Will make a couple pickle recipes today and report back

The jam i made i did not "can" and just put in the fridge, but we should be thru it in 3-4 weeks. I want to make raspberry an black raspberry jam so i may try canning them.

[RioG]

dh makes the best pickles.  none last year because we moved.   we're still eating 2012 pickles and not dead yet!  dill and bread and butter.

[picote]

Dill pickles are so easy and as long as you stick to established recipes, you should have no problems. For crispier pickles, cut off the blossom ends and I usually put the spears in a salted ice water bath for a little bit before canning.

[merigayle]

Thanks! Will try a couple recipes today.

[RioG]

what did the cukes look like meri?  enough for a batch?

[merigayle]

what did the cukes look like meri?  enough for a batch?

20 pickles, maybe 4-5 inches?

[merigayle]

I made a dill batch and a bread and butter batch. Neither said how long to wait before consumption. I filled 4 quart Ball jars and had 3 cukes left over.